The Bible is the Singular Story of God’s Rescue Mission
UNLOCK THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THE BIBLE TO LIVE THE "GOOD LIFE" (4 min. quick read)
The Bible is the grand narrative of the universe. It is “The Story” and like all great stories it has a beginning, middle, and end. How we show up to read the Bible REALLY MATTERS because our context becomes our results. Meaning, if we approach the Bible with a narrow context filter we miss out on the big picture God wants us to see. The forest becomes obscured by the trees.
God’s “Big Story” opens and closes with a New Creation Paradise. Both bookends record the overlapping of Heaven with Earth resulting in joyous communion with our Author. For once, words fail Paul as he writes about our New Creation hope in resurrection, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived, the things God has prepared for those who love Him.” [1 Corinthians 2:9]
In case you’re counting the cost and think we’re going to float up to a never-ending church service when we die, think again. In the end, Heaven (Jesus) comes to Earth and “all things will be made new”. We will finally see the Lord face to face and embark on a great creative project together. This will be an era of peace and prosperity where the knowledge of God covers the earth, and those “me-first” values fade away forever in the presence of His covenant faithfulness and irrespective love.
Why does this matter? Knowing the end from the beginning helps calibrate our context filter to God’s bigger purpose at work for His very good creation. Peter writes, “God is faithful towards us, not wanting any of us to perish (death), but desires all to turn back to Him.” [2 Peter 3:9] Is Peter really concerned about physical death? Not at all, he is talking about eternal separation from Jesus. Which brings us to the bulk of the grand narrative - the middle. We could also call this the tension of “The Story”. It's the will they or won't they moment in humankind.
In what could be construed as a critique against free will (which it isn’t), we encounter heavenly and earthly rebellion in God’s New Creation Paradise from the outset of “The Story”. Human beings intellectually, emotionally, and physically display mistrust in the love, wisdom, and protective warning of their Father. In epic folly, the very images of God, eat from the tree of knowing good and bad.
Why? A seraph (angelic being) described as having the characteristics of a serpent, convinces them, “You will be like the Most High”. Sound familiar? We know it was all a lie, but that’s our privilege as insiders. This story is supposed to make us scratch our heads at Adam and Eve. How can God-replicas with delegated God-authority over the Earth become more God-like by rebelling against God? It’s the Catch-22 of all Catch-22s! We can almost hear the accuser of humanity laughing as the first human couple are exiled from the Garden in Eden.
Paul explains this tension more clearly, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people.” [Romans 5:12] He further explains that God has a universal principle in place, called the law of sin and death. Simply, where there is sin, death, or, separation from God will occur. Let’s pause for a brief second to clear the air about humans and sin.
People are not born with sin, in sin, under sin, have a sin-nature, nor do they have sin-integrated in the flesh. The Bible shoots down all these medieval views. They’re medieval because these traditions originated in the Middle Ages. Prior, the ancient Israelites and first century Christians never contemplated these concepts that erase one of God’s defining characteristics, “He is Just”. Jesus, our faithful High Priest and covenant mediator, had the same human flesh and the same human temptations, except he never sinned. If this wasn't the case then we're running in vain according to Paul.
Jesus and his Apostles discuss the human condition in terms of flesh and spirit. Often, we act in our own best interest for the short term, even if this hurts others (flesh). Less often, we act in the best interest of others, even if this costs us (spirit). The latter path, requires the spirit of God in our hearts to truly become those angled-mirror image-bearers that reflect Jesus out into the world like a bright city on a hilltop.
According to the Bible, we are all blank slates, clean canvasses, clothed in white garments until we first sin. Well then, what is sin? It’s simply rebellion against God and His very good ways of living. Jesus spells it out clearly for us that sin is “loving God and our neighbor” less than ourselves (pride). It’s living with that same spirit of, “I will be like the Most High” and answer only to myself. Remember, love is an action and God calls us to be like Him - who acts benevolently to good people and bad people alike. “He causes the sun to shine on the just and unjust” in hopes that all will recognize his generosity and turn back to Him. Let that sink in for a minute.
Back to middle of “The Story.” Paul sums up that “one man’s trespass brought death (separation from God) to many.” He explains further that, “Nevertheless, death (separation from God) reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam. [Romans 5:14-15] Which launches God’s singular mission, dealing with the death or separation problem.
Here is the unifying context filter which we should read every page between the bookends with. The Bible is the singular record of God’s mission to reconcile His creation back to Himself. If we’re observant readers, we will see that is exactly what He’s been working at since the exile from Eden. Yes, that’s the context filter and thread that unifies all 66 scrolls and letters. Jesus even tells us directly, “the Law, Psalms, and Prophets are fulfilled by me.” [Luke 24:44]
What does that inform us about our kind God? Moses explains this to the recently redeemed and commissioned children of Israel at Mt. Sinai, “the Lord is very jealous” and “faithful to His covenant partners for a thousand generations”. The nearest approximation for the love that God has towards us is that of a spouse (His words, not ours). Paul writes that nothing can separate us from this love. Knowing this singular theme of the Bible helps us to know what to focus on while reading. Over and over again we can hear God calling to Israel to be faithful to the Old Covenant, "Come to me." Over and over again, Jesus is saying the same thing to all humanity, urging us to participate in the New and Better Covenant, "Come to me."
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." [Matthew 11:28-30]
IN SUMMARY THE BIBLE IS...
...THE RECORD OF GOD’S MISSION | the Bible gives us an account of God’s plan and purpose within history for the redemption of humanity and creation and tells the story of what God has done to accomplish that (Acts chapter 2 is the culmination and activation of the New & Better Covenant that finally reconciles humanity and continues to do so today until Jesus returns)
...THE PRODUCT OF GOD’S MISSION | the Bible contains an edited collection of documents that were produced during God’s engagement with His people over different historical eras as they interact with different cultures
...THE TOOL OF GOD’S MISSION | many of these documents are intended to shape, challenge, and equip God’s people with their missional task to live as God’s people and to support God’s mission of reconciliation
I hope this quick read challenged someone to think differently about "The Story" and to approach reading the Holy Scriptures with that unifying lens of God's mission make all of us new. In love, God bless!
© 2024 by The Apostles Handbook
